SOJA CITY VISITS

Fifteen students and two teachers from Soja City, Japan visited Kew High School for a week in August. It was the tenth visit since the program’s inception in 2007.  

This year was another success with host families, teachers and classroom buddies coming on board to enrich the visitors’ experience. Monday’s Year 7 assembly saw students presenting a slide show about Kew High in Japanese and the school band played the Japanese and Australian national anthems. The Japanese students enjoyed spending time in regular classes as well as experiencing a didgeridoo lesson, AFL footy, an Aussie cooking class, bush dancing and aboriginal dot painting. Host families very generously took the students and teachers to AFL footy matches, trampolining and to various sights around Melbourne. School buddies also rose to the occasion to communicate with the Japanese students and to help them around the school.

The week was capped off with cultural performances by the Japanese students as a thank you and farewell to the host families, at an informal dinner in the VCE Centre. The Kew High School guitar ensemble, ‘Don’t Fret’, performed a stunning set of music which was appreciated by all. There were tearful goodbyes early on the Saturday morning.

Many a lasting friendship has come from this program and indeed many of this year’s host families continue to stay in touch with their Japanese friends. We look forward to next year’s visit and the 2018 Kew High School tour to Japan and Soja City. Thank you to everyone who made the week possible.

Andrew Cerini

Japanese Teacher